'Game of Thrones' Season Two GIF Recap

NOTE: I’ll open a SPOILER thread at the bottom of this post’s comments section. Please contain all “upcoming on GoT” talk to there. If you mention something that hasn’t happened on the show yet outside of said thread, you’ll be banned. The only way to be unbanned: giving me all your dragons. No dragons, no dice.

The vibe that I’ve gotten from Twitter and other writers is that season finale “Valar Morghulis” wasn’t good enough. After last week’s brilliant, tightly constructed “Blackwater,” “Valar” was all over the place, as it had to be, confusing those who haven’t read the books (“how did Stannis escape so easily?”) and not appeasing those who have (“the House of the Undying was butchered”). But I liked it. I liked it a lot, and I loved the season as a whole. Whenever I’m about to complain about something on “Game of Thrones” I remind myself: this is a Best Drama Series-worthy show about ice zombies, sorcery, dragons, political backstabbing, real backstabbing, demon babies, and direwolves, with an ample amount of boobs and violence. I’m going to miss “Game of Thrones.”

Rather than a normal bullet point recap, with one exception, I put together a season-long GIF recap, including some from last night’s episode. Enjoy, and until 2013: Attractive Women of “Game of Thrones” Season Two Power Ranking: #5. Cersei, #4. Ygritte, #3. Daenerys, #2. Talisa, and #1. Margaery.

Season two began with Joffrey flicking his tongue like a weasel-snake hybrid on his Cake Day and making the drunken fool Ser Dontos, who DEFINITELY isn’t a symbolic representation of America, funnel a keg of wine.

And Cersei was like AW HELL NAH and slapped King Weasel-Snake, eliciting millions of “YAY” tweets.

Tyrion smirked at that.

At Dragonstone, Stannis’s Red Priestess, Melisandre, not only used her sorcery to kill an old man, but also make a subtle reference to the upcoming hit movie, The Dark Knight Rises.

Theon returned home to the Iron Islands to finger his sister, much to Ghost’s paw-stopping amusement.

This would have been a big deal, were it not for the fact that everyone has fingered everyone’s sister on “Game of Thrones.” Plus, Theon seems like the incestous kind.

Littlefinger wiped his semen from a woman’s face because he’s JUST THAT GENTLEMEN-LIKE. Later, in an off-screen scene, he wrote a song about the experience:

I was shocked to find out this weekend that the actor who plays Grand Maester Pycelle was the villain in a movie I have seen 50 times, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (he chose poorly.) Even knowing it, I can barely recognize him as Pycelle.

I noticed about two years ago that General Veers was the same guy who played Donovan (the helmet and hat made it harder to tell), and then last year I noticed that Pycelle was that same guy. So it’s always fun seeing these threads… which I’ve seen at least thrice since then. That dude is good at being part of awesome franchises.

Just realized that I alluded to some upcoming things in response to some posts but I tagged them as spoilerish and didn’t really reveal anything major (would never do that). Please don’t ban me, I shan’t be doing that again

If you boil it all down, the season finale worked. Simple as that. All the stories and plot threads are exactly where they should be going into Season 3. We got a HUGE fucking treat in the reveal of the Fist of the First Men, which is at the start of book 3.

My one beef with it (not the House of the Undying, I could give a fuck about that scene honestly because the show has far deviated from ‘the prophecies’ and Dany’s storyline entirely) is that it didn’t give us an indication as to who/why Winterfell was burned. Readers know, but it’s important for later on.

Other than that, it was a good episode. Nothing will touch Blackwater – at least until Episode 9 of Season 3.

I shall choose my words carefully here.
I’m pretty sure that in the books there is a brief chapter pertaining to Old Town that’s told from an assassin’s pov. Pretty sure that its Jaqen but GRRM only implies it.
But here’s the thing about the Faceless Men that’s really creepy:
yes you can hire them, but they also do what they do as a “service” to world at large. Think kinda like “Wanted” but with that stoooopid cotton gin of fate or whatever.

1. Thank you for no Shae on the Ladies’ rankings, But I think Ros deserves a spot on there tho because while everyone in Westeros would hate fuck the shit out of Cersei, Ros actually showed (some very nice) skin. And seriously guys… google image search Esme Bianco (yowza!)

2. Not really digging the changes to Jon but I can be patient. But seriously man him the fuck up please! We know he can fight, he just needs the rest of it.
Maybe Ygritte can bang some sense into him?

3. Tyrion is now entering his Rodney Dangerfeild phase. Poor guy.

4. The Varys/Littlefinger Back-Stab-Off is gonna be good. Varys has his fingers in way more pies than anyone knows and the writers know what real power players they both are.

5. I really liked how they gave Theon the catharsis with Luwin that he never got in the books. He really is very pitiable character and its its only gonna get gnarlier for Theon as the crap he’s pulled comes around on him.

6. Tywin’s horse pretty much said it all in regards to the Lannisters.

7. Valar Mohrgulis!!!!!! FUCK YESSSSSS… dont worry about Jaqen, he’s got shit to do and the face change doesn’t necessarily mean an actor change. That’s what a Faceless Man does (its in the skill set).

8. The roof, the roof, the Roof is on Fire
WE DONT NEED NO WATER LET THE MOTHERFUCKER BURN!!!
I loved what she did with Ducksauce. Too bad that Chick-Fil-A in the back of his Vault is closed on Sundays…
Now get her some Artisan Whitebread and some Unsullied STAT!

I don’t understand anyone who would complain about last night’s episode. It was 70 minutes of awesome. No less than 4 times did I cheer, alone in my home sitting on the couch…
#1 Brienne: “TWO of the women did not suffer?” *Thrusts sword!*
#2 Jaqen: “Jaqen is dead” *followed by turning around and WOAH!!!!*
#3 DRAGON ROAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#4 Theon stabbed post speech. How nice was that to let them finish?

Then there was Rob’s dumb decision to marry. I’m not a fan of real-life cheating on wives, but in a fantasy show… absolutely he should have married the other one, and F*** this one.

OK, so my fiancee had a great question: Why didn’t they just build another bridge instead of being “hostage” to the Freys? I mean they can build a wall 700 feet high out of ice, but can’t build a single span bridge across a river?

@Leapin_Lizards: I think he explained it pretty well in the show – he was in a hurry and needed to cross because he thought he still had time to get to King’s Landing before they lopped off Ned’s head.

I forgot about that part of the episode, only because it didn’t really seem to fit. Everything else was dealing with more of the MAJOR characters, while Ros and Varys have always just been secondary types.

I wanted to wait until the series was over, but that looks like it’ll be 7 years from now, and I’m not sure I can wait until next season. Question being, should I just start reading the books now? Does it ruin the show for you at all?

I’ve read every book twice and enjoy the show very much. Sure there is some griping about what’s been cut/altered from the books, but so what. The books have a ton more depth, but don’t take away from show IMO.

I had read the books before the show started, and at the beginning I was constantly annoyed by little changes and whatnot. Now I just view the show and books as separate entities to be enjoyed independently. It’s definitely a lot of fun to speculate on what’s coming up though!

Same as the previous two. I wanted to wait until each season had aired to read the corresponding book. Just couldn’t do it – I burned through all 5 very quickly. Definitely has not ruined the show for me….honestly I think it’s enhanced it. You watch very closely to see how they handle things you enjoyed in the book.

Read them. They’re wildly entertaining and I don’t think they ruin the show in the slightest. The books are very detailed, and follow a lot of story lines. By the time the show roles around you can still ended up being surprised by some of the smaller plot points you had forgotten about, or changes made for the TV show that take things in a slightly different direction.

Xander, I was going to do the exact same thing (wait until after the corresponding season to read the books). But I’ve just blown through 500 pages of Book 1 in a week and a half and there’s NO WAY I’m going to be able to hold out on Books 3-5 for over a year.

Fucking read the books ASAP. I read Game of Thrones after Season 1, with the caveat to myself that I would read Clash of Kings after Season 2.

I read every single book in a row after Game of Thrones. It will not detract from the series; the show is going to be so different as an adaptation – different journey, same results. If you come to accept that, you will love it. Just don’t expect it to be IDENTICAL or you will be upset.

I am going to go against the grain and say hold off. The show is still great even after reading all the books before season 2 but its just not as good as being surprised by every twist and turn on Sunday. But you should definitely read them someday

@ Everybody Loves Waymond – I was in the exact same spot like 2 months ago. I’m on Book 4 and just completely hooked. It WILL slightly decrease your enthusiasm for the show – hence all our bitching on here – but the books are so good it’s worth it. Plus you get to see “ohhhhh that’s why that character has that trait” as opposed to the show where it’s like “Davos is loyal to Stannis…just go with it”

It wasn’t really a scene I was desperately awaiting, so my expectations weren’t as high as some. I don’t think it would have been feasible to recreate the book scene, and the way they did worked for me.

I have read none of the books so I don’t know if this is “spoiler” speculation: is Jaqen really the sword teacher from the first season? They’re both from Bravos (sic?), he can change faces on command, he looks after Ayra to a degree beyond rational selfishness, and we never explicitly saw the teacher die last season…

Upon seeing the white walker army, my brain threw up in it’s own mouth.

–Tywin accepting the title of HOTK on horseback was as Tywin as it gets
–Here’s to hoping the Brienne and Jamie Lannister show features heavily in the third season.
–I wonder if we find out what Stannis saw in that fire.
–“Whoever kills that FUCKING hornblower will stand in bronze above the shores of Pyke!”
–So is Jaqen going to be played by a different actor? Is his name in the show still going to be Jaqen?
–As a non book reader, I hope I’m not alone in feeling that Dany’s scenes this season could have been trimmed significantly/cut almost completely and I wouldn’t have cared at all save for her last couple of scenes this episode. I’m sure they’re important to the future of the show, but mother of god, she might as well have been shouting “Waaaaaaalt!!!” instead of “my dragons”
–The “oh shit” looks on the rangers faces after the third horn blast was priceless.
–Braaaaaaaaains….I mean….Iron Throoooooone

Nacho, Funny you should say that about Dany’s scenes because coming into last night’s episode my feeling was exactly this: “Dany would still seem cool right now if they had just saved everything she did this season for EXPOSITION later on. They could just have her tell someone about her travels and we’d be caught up and she’d still be awesome.”

Then she finally went to the house of the undying and I dragon-related events ensued and I thought, “Okay, she’s cool again!”

– Yup
– It will
– Wasn’t in the books, kind of alluded to…but alot of that shit is improvised. So I’m not sure how it’s going to play out (though I have some hopes based on books to come)
– lol
– Different actor – maybe. Name in show as Jaqen – no. And you will have to wait. Jaqen was an alias, his real name is uncertain.
– Dany…ugh this is the perennial struggle I have with her character. As a reader and fan of the show as well, GRRM seems to love Dany. I mean she has fucking dragons – the story seems to be about her. However, her story drags-on [sorry]. It happens even more so later on. However – have hope. This story was greatly altered and adapted for S2, and I have a feeling they will give Dany a lot more exciting shit to do; for book readers, her storyline in the show may be the most unique one because they simply can’t adapt her shit without making us all yawn.
– Third horn blast hasn’t happened in 1000 years…they’re scared
– That scene was a preview of the intro to Storm of Swords (and maybe my favorite scene in the whole series)

I have not read all the books (I’m about 100 pages into book 1), but I didn’t find last night confusing. I can see how some might find it a little disjointed & perhaps a little rushed, but not enough to take away from the good stuff. After spending all of Blackwater in Kings Landing, it was good to check-in with the rest of the characters/story lines. I found the cliffhangers to be exciting and they gave me just enough information to look forward to season 3 even more than I already would have. I thought all of Tyrion’s scene to be moving – his exchange with the eunuch (whose name I cannot spell) was impressive given how guarded both characters are and I too got a little misty when Shae got to her “You’ve got a shit memory.” line. I also teared up when Dany saw Drogo. And, Arya…she is just awesome.

I’ve decided to read the book after the corresponding season has aired. I’m really enjoying the TV show and I’m worried I’ll have too many expectations if I read the books first (see Games, Hunger and Potter, Harry).

@Xander. SoS is being split into 2 seasons because it’s so long and badass. Hopefully they will use that same deductive reasoning and combine books 4 & 5 into a single badass season, since they’re both exceptionally meh.

Not a mistake really, but the show left out a lot of the smaller details of the book. You get the gist of everything from the show, and you would be able to figure out what is going on with who. If you are just DYING to find out what happens I’d say go ahead and start with book 3, but do go ahead and try to read all the books.

@UU
– I found I hated Cersei more on show than books, oddly enough.
– The protagonists (FEMALE) with POV…ugh. Show will exempt us from that and the females will be a lot more likeable in seasons to come
– Still fucking hate Joff throughout

After everything else that was going on, I was actually fairly disappointed that the season ended with the zombie horde. There are so many other storylines that I’m really invested in, something about them just made me weary. (Bad memories of The Walking Dead, I suppose.)

I’m sure I’ll be super wrong about it, but I just got REALLY PUMPED for dragons and wanted the season 2 to end just like season 1 did.

Right, so it’s not a zombie horde. It’s wights – which have been in the show since season 1. The Others are actually incredibly dangerous, and incredibly significant. Without reading the books and getting too deep into the lore it’s hard to tell, but suffice to say that scene will pay off and you will not be disappointed. I’d say the Others are as important to the dragons in the history of Westeros. Don’t feel like it’s a cheap zombie add on – it has a purpose.

It wasn’t just that the son was alive. Spielberg actually trotted out Grandma and Grandpa — who we’d never even fucking seen before — to assure us all that everyone was OK. “Sssh, ssssh. Go back to sleep, America.”

I thought it was a little abrupt the way Rattleshirt just cut Jon Snow loose after he killed Half-Hand. The way it played out, I thought it looked more like he was really just defending himself from attack, not giving a ringing endorsement to the Wildlings.

Sansa comes out of nowhere to be the most intriguing character on the show. What is her ulterior motive for staying in Kings Landing? First Tyrion, then the Hound and now Littlefinger have all offered her safe passage, especially now that she is not betrothed to Joffrey. A man can only assume she is up to something. That smile as she walked away from the court was an amazing scene. Like the anti-Ed Norton in the end of Primal Fear.

I thought it was obvious that the Halfhand wanted Jon Snow to kill him from the last episode, and here he was going to keep at it until Jon went through with it.

Was I the only one that jumped up and screamed “NOOOOO!” when Shae offered to take Tyrion away?

I felt kind of gypped by how quickly Dany got through the House of the Undying, but damn she is so much more awesome when she’s not screaming for her dragons like Claire from Lost. She goes from annoying to badass in like 60 seconds.

I can’t believe that Tywin is just going to diss Tyrion like that. He appointed him Acting Hand, and Tyrion did a marvelous job. This shall not stand!

Sansa does have a big part to play in book 3. Also Tywin hates Tyrion and always has. In the books it is a little more apparent. Tywin like Cersei blames Tyrion for his wife’s death and is ashamed to have an Imp for a son.

A few notes of my own — I got a little misty when Tyrion was brought to tears. Did anyone else hear the “He’s a God now” line from Caligula when watching Jeoffrey on the Iron Throne? Sansa’s laugh was worth all of her pouting all season long. Great payoff! Has any show ever gone two full seasons between the teaser at the start of season one (White Walkers) and the cliffhanger reveal at the end of season two? That’s almost Community-esque.

What was underwhelming about the House of the Undying? I enjoyed those scenes a lot, part of me was hoping the Warlock would be around for some time though. Can someone who’s read the books explain what was left out or poorly handled?

Yeah, I don’t think they could include all the spoilery stuff in the show. In the book, Dany doesn’t know who any of the people she was seeing in her visions, are. We as viewers would know exactly who it is. As buddha noted, it was like an acid trip.

She drinks a hallucinatory drug (a la the Water of Life of Dune; it’s even blue); she proceeds through an impossible building, seeing many visions, of things past, and things yet to come; and she comes finally to the room where the Undying are. They tell her a lengthy prophecy, which she will recall often in the future. Then they try to consume her, so Drogon burns that shit to the GROUND, y’all.

I figured they’d skip the visions, but was super disappointed that we didn’t get a prophecy.

I thought the visions they went with were disappointing, (and not in the book), but I was really disappointed that the final scene was so far from how the book dealt with the end of the HotU. That would have been great, but maybe they blew the whole CGI thing on Blackwater

Right so, without going into too much detail: The House of the Undying in the books shows Dany three different prophecies of sorts, which go on to pan out as part of potential/actual events in Westeros. All very important scenes – and it would have been a massive spoiler.

The visions are different in the show, entirely, but it was kind of cool. They couldn’t really show what Dany sees without blowing stuff for later on.

Blackwater had me thinking the finale was going to be balls to the walls violent but before I watched the finale I realized there was too many story lines for a hour long episode to resolve. Who took Theon? If it was a Stark Army why would Winterfell be burned and Why would Maester Luwin tell the Stark boys to run? And who else does Theon have value too?

I didn’t think it was Stark bannermen. The 500 men were from another Lord who was pledge to the Starks, but not actually Starks. I thought maybe there was another stab in the back. Perhaps they were from the house that Rob was supposed to marry into?

Pretty sure what happened was that Theon’s Ironborn crew knocked him out themselves, because they’d rather retreat back to Pike than die defending Winterfell. Dagmer even said “Let’s go home.” The Ironborn then burned Winterfell before leaving.

For me, it was a disappointing departure from the book. I’m assuming that something will happen to them on their way back to the sea to continue Theon’s storyline.

Ugh, this was the most important thing for me that they left out. Here’s the simple answer:

The show adapted the book’s events, but Winterfell IS burned and raised. He is not taken by the Greyjoys at the end like we see in the show.

*SPPOIIIIILLERRRRR*

The Stark bannermen – men from the Dreadfort – are the ones that burn Winterfell when they seize it from the Greyjoys. I’m going to go with them having burned it in Season 2, and we learn that at the start of Season 3. They could have EASILY conveyed this with a comment from Master Luwin, or a glimpse of some Greyjoy corpses in the yard, but they didn’t. Pretty big bummer, but whatever. They’re not shortcutting that story or amending it – it’s important later on.

Blackwater had me thinking the finale was going to be balls to the walls violent but before I watched the finale I realized there was too many story lines for a hour long episode to resolve. Who took Theon? If it was a Stark Army why would Winterfell be burned and Why would Master Luwin tell the Stark boys to run? And who else does Theon have value too?

After a incredibly slow beginning this season really picked up around episode 6. I was actually thinking about quitting the show at one point it was so slow. But the great Peter Dinklage was enough for me to continue watching. And the episode Blackwater was so amazing it was totally worth it. Peter is in for another Emmy for that episode.

Yeah, I felt like Season Two was like the Two Towers … a lot of walking, a few battles to keep you tuned in … but goddamn, this Season 3 had better make with the Epic … big dragons, undead armies, y’know … the payoff.

Gotta love that of the two black characters in GoT, one is a thief who only wants to bang a rich white bitch and the other gets caught with a hooker and subsequently is exposed to have no money in the bank because he spent it all on his bejeweled gaudy mansion.

@Watanabex: regarding your first point, to me, there’s no question that GoT is a fantastic show, one of the three or four best on television (as Josh so eloquently put it, it is a “show about ice zombies, sorcery, dragons, political backstabbing, real backstabbing, demon babies, and direwolves, with an ample amount of boobs and violence”). But the show is not an original creation, and in light of that, it’s impossible to ignore the source material in the books (assuming you’re the reading type). Even taking into account the fact that you can go into much greater detail in the books when you don’t have the budgetary and time constraints of a TV show, there was just so much that was markedly better in the books than on the TV show, and a lot of times it seemed like the show changed things for the sake of change rather than for any practical reason. As a fan of the TV show, I enjoyed myself thoroughly and can’t wait for next season. But as a book nerd, I give this season a “B”, and I’m being generous leaving off a minus.

I see your point and having read the books agree that they’re probably better. But I have to admit that I like the alternate possibilities the show is raising, especially with a lot of characters now having potentially different storylines going forward. I’m wondering if the showrunners are thinking that there’s no way they can wait for Martin to finish the books, (he’s said that he has 5 years to finish the 6th book and there’s supposedly at least 7 planned), (which by the way, WRITE FASTER GODDAMMIT), so they’re going to do what they can with 5-6 seasons and wrap things up on their own terms. I could be wrong but I think the series will wrap up on its own terms and probably very differently from the books. And I’m OK with that.

Just to clarify. The White Walkers(aka The Others) are the ones with the screechy voices. This episode is the first time we’ve seen ones face on screen. The resurrected dead(zombies with blue eyes) are referred to as “wights”, they are created by the White Walkers.

I get that they can’t show the Red Wedding part of the House of the Undying, but cutting everything else out just kind of made it worthless to me. I guess I was just looking forward to it the whole season.

I cannot imagine how confusing the Theon plotline is right now for those who haven’t read the books. Eventually they’re going to have to actually introduce Ramsay, I would think.

One thing I like about the show is that they are heavy handed with things that sometimes are so nuanced in the books that my stupid brain doesn’t see it. And I assume all of the direction has Martin’s approval. So the Undying scene was exciting to see what at first was confirmation on the whole Jon/Lyanna/Rhaegar/Dany direction with the burned out King’s Landing yet covered in snow and the inclusion of the wall. But then she was in the tent with Drogo pledging undying love and hell, I don’t get it.

I think the writers could’ve done more with the non-Blackwater stories in episode 8 to make this last episode feel less cluttered. Remember, that episode was kind of a slow character build for a lot of people. They put some HOTU and that Luwin conversation with Theon into that episode to make this one go better.

Still, the show has done a remarkable job adapting the books. I hope the next season starts right after football season so my Sundays are booked pretty nicely.

Alan Sepinwall wrote an intriguing review. He stated its getting to the point where if you haven’t read the books you really don’t know the little nuances or even in some spots what the hell is going on i.e. (why winterfell was burning, and that those things were Wights not White Walkers). They need to clear things up without destroying the storylines.

Also trying to remember from the books, The Nights Watch were attacked by Wights and White Walkers or just Wights? I do remember Sam killed a White Walker. Because of course something else they will have to explain is that fire kills Wights but only Dragonglass can kill White Walkers.

There’s also the scene in the book where Sam tries to use the Dragon Glass to kill homeboy that got reanimated but it doesn’t work so he hits him with a burning log or something of that sort and it catches him on fire.

Did book 2 even have white walkers? My reading comprehension is pretty bad, but I don’t remember a horde of them walking towards the wall. I just thought the show had decided to have Sam go ahead and use the Dragon glass to show how it works.

Yeah see that is another thing they will have explain next season, but maybe they are leaving all these questions on purpose. I just don’t want people to be disappointed. The horde is heading to the Fist of the First Men where all the Nights Watch are camping hence Grenn and Edd making a run for it. I guess its hard to tell since they haven’t shown where all the Nights Watch were for a few episodes.

The Ironborn obviously made a deal to trade Theon for their freedom. That much could be inferred. Problem is, cut to scene of bran and the kids walking by their smoldering home completely unconcerned. Why would Robb’s bannermen burn his home? Especially if the Ironborn surrendered? Why wouldn’t the kids care or ask questions? I’ve read the books so I know the why, but Benioff and Weiss shouldn’t have expected viewers to remember some tossed off character who is never even shown, then assume he went off his rocker and burned Winterfell because, uh…..

For a show this surefooted that was a pretty glaring error. Otherwise, great episode, even better season.

In that case, can we expect the clusterfuck at Craster’s camp to happen and the shit Jon deals with by being a “turncloak”? I suppose they could go ahead and have the ice zombies fuck shit up and have only a few Crows surviving along with Gilly and Sam.

So obviously they can’t really kill Sam off because he’s the only connection to the rest of the Knight’s Watch for the moment, but in regards to how the hell he survived that scene, maybe that the HNIC White Walker sees that he has a Dragon Glass dagger and is like “fuck it, fatty isn’t worth it” and when he’s screeching to go forward he’s communicating to the zombie tropes to ignore him?

I thought the HoU scenes in the show were supposed to be interpreted as machinations of the warlocks to tempt Dany into staying and being their power source. The throne room, Drogo and Rhaego . . . she certainly seemed tempted into staying with the Khal, at which point she would have been trapped with her dragons forever. My interpretation at least

The scenes with Jon beyond the Wall were totally screwed as soon as the show made the decision to have Ygritte escape and Jon chase her. We lost all emotional connection to Qhorin as a mentor to Jon, not to mention the way his death was portrayed in the show was muddled and confusing. Plus Jon just looks like a punk bitch now. I understand the need to play up Ygritte as a character and love interest, but why not save it for season 3?

Theon’s arc was the best of the season in my opinion, and the ending was only a little botched. My non-book friends who watched the show thought the fleeing Ironborn set Winterfell on fire, which is a reasonable interpretation. If they open season 3 with a treat between Dagmer and Ramsay where it’s revealed the Krakens burnt Winterfell and plan to exchange Theon in return for safe passage (before getting brutally slaughtered by Ramsay, natch) I’ll be happy

Surprised there WAS a Stannis survival reveal, and that there WASN’T one for Davos. Interested where his storyline goes, seeing as how Shireen has been cast and the majority of book 3 you have no clue what dude is up to

All in its tough to find things complain about when you consider how great of an adaptation the show has been. I was fine with the House of Undying stuff as well as Jon Snow’s scenes and Little-finger revealing his intentions towards Sansa. The latter, I assume was done to give the viewers some sense of comfort over her fate.

My only grip was the burning of winterfell. They set that up with the conversations with Roose, him referring to his Bastard, etc. I thought that should have been a perfect cliff-hanger for Season 3, revealing a major villian for the next season(s).

Yeah the JonQhorin thing was a clusterf*ck. Qhorin giving him the order prior to the fight was key in the books. Also prior to being surrounded by wildlings in the books, Qhorin and Jon recite the Nights Watch Oath together…very stirring moment.

Also didn’t like Rattleshirt cutting Jon loose and just acting like “Ok he’s one of us.” In the books Lord of Bones is super distrusting and an asshole.

And the fight scene is lackluster. Qhorin is the much better fighter until Ghost bites down on his leg producing a chance for Qhorin to purposely let down his guard. But i’m fine with how they did considering the CGI restraints.

By: CuriousGeorger

06.04.2012 @ 3:14 PM

I’d rather they just make Ramsay accountable for it all. They need to be set up as the most evil of everyone in Westeros, Ramsay burning Winterfell would be a good step for that.

I can’t read the whole thread as I haven’t read the books yet. but can someone let me know what differences there were in Theon’s story? In particular, I had some shithead spoil the fact that he dies (at least, he heavily implied it) and so I’ve just been waiting for that to happen all season. I like Theon’s story, that scene from last night with Luwin was particularily strong, and would like to see more of him. Was he supposed to die at Winterfell?

@Satanbigsby – Theon does not die at Winterfell at the end of Book 2. Ramsay Snow (ie Roose Bolton’s bastard who was alluded to in the show) tricks Theon into trusting him, then murders all the ironborn except Theon who he takes as prisoner. Also, Theon is still alive at the end of Book 5, although he repeatedly wishes he wasn’t.

I complained about this before but the only changes they’ve done that have really bugged me have been the ones to Jon’s story. Other tweaks may disappoint to a degree but the overall portrayal of his character has been so bad this year that it actually violates the SPIRIT of the source material. Hell I’ve even had nonbook readers complain that this bummbling Season 2 Snow bears little resemblance to his portrayal in Season 1.

@ Surly apart from Bran and Rickon not being split and any eavesdropper not having much of a clue as to where they might be going. I really think the show has made a pig’s ear of the whole Winterfell/Bran & Rickon/Theon & Reek storyline with its attendant payoffs down the line.

@Charlie
I’m inclined to agree with you on the whole but they did keep putting in these little touches that made it just ok for me, like Theon getting some really great catharsis with Luwin kinda sets up how pathetic and pitiable he is, and I dont think anyone will disagree that Theon gets his for all the shit he’s pulled (thanks Ramsay).

They won’t have to introduce Ramsay if they cut that entire plot line loose and instead use it as Frey men in retaliation for the Jeyne Westerling thing. Then Robb goes to the Twins to try to make amends and it goes downhill from there.

I always thought that the assassin from the prologue was one of the Iron born brothers (Victarion?) and the trinket he acquired from the Citadel was the dragon horn. A faceless man makes more sense because Arya kills the rich man in Bravos using the same method.

Anyways, was glad they didn’t show all the prophecies from The House of the Undying, I’m too busy spinning my head about them as is.

@ Pat @ surly backing up Myth’s comment. The Alchemist’s description matches that of the guy Jaqen turns into. I imagine if that scene makes it into the show, they may just use the guy that payed Jaqen, since his appearance in old town won’t really make a difference.